SheEO NZ, an economic model created to support wāhine and non-binary entrepreneurs is already delivering strong results and is ready to support a new crop of start-ups.
The selected New Zealand ventures that SheEO has backed to date have achieved remarkable growth, with an average revenue growth per venture of 684 percent since being selected. In total, the ventures now employ 134 people, averaging 15 employees per venture, and they collectively generated $20 million revenue, up from $11.9 million in 2020.
SheEO was launched in Aotearoa New Zealand in 2017 by Theresa Gattung (pictured), a renowned advocate for women in business. Gattung is thrilled with the results and encouraged with the local success of the model.
“Considering we were still reeling from the headwinds and challenges of multiple COVID lockdowns, our SheEO community is proud of the success of the selected ventures. These ventures have achieved remarkable environmental and sustainability impact goals, as well as financial fitness,” says Gattung.
“But we are not ones to rest on our laurels and there is still much work to be done to encourage more entrepreneurs to join our community. So, we are once again calling for applications from wāhine and non-binary entrepreneurs who need help accelerating their businesses.”
The five ventures selected will benefit from the support of interest-free loans, business mentoring and the expertise of a global network of women and non-binary people once they enter the well-resourced, radically generous community.
Since launching in Aotearoa, some $1.2 million has been raised through the radical generosity of ‘Activators’ to assist the wāhine-led start-ups to great success. Interested applicants should visit sheeo.world before applications close on 10 June at midnight NZST. The process gives applicants the opportunity to showcase their business to hundreds of radically generous Activators, who give feedback and often become customers.
SheEO NZ has inspired many meaningful business successes including:
- Chia Sisters: have offset carbon emissions by 120% via their local native forest and Certified Carbon Sink. The organisation launched Businesses for Climate Action to encourage organisations across Te Tauihu to measure and reduce carbon emissions and share climate solutions.
- Better Packaging: replaced more than 30 million single-use plastic bags with compostable alternatives, provided employment to 63 people living in impoverished communities and removed 153 MegTonnes of Ocean Bound Plastic pollution from the environment.
- AWWA: has averted the use of 800,000 single-use pads and tampons ending up in landfills every month and uses organic cotton and recycled nylon in the production of underwear, which further reduces the impact on the planet. AWWA also donated $59,524 to help eradicate period poverty.
- Nisa: provided 5,000 hours of work to women from refugee and migrant backgrounds in 2021. In-house training programmes for both sewing skills and English as a second language rolled out.
All ventures confirm they have benefited from the community and the ‘radical generosity’ practiced by Activators and other Ventures all around the world. This year’s selected ventures will be democratically voted on by hundreds of Activators following an online presentation to Activators and answering questions.
Activators then go on to support the five ventures selected in 2022. SheEO founder Vicki Saunders says: “My focus as founder of SheEO is to support new solutions for the world’s most pressing issues; and I am very encouraged not only by the financial performance but also by the shift in attitude towards women and non-binary business leaders. And while we have a long way to go, it gives me hope that we can make the world a fairer, more equitable and sustainable place.”
How it works
The SheEO model has hundreds of women and non-binary folks (called Activators) contributing capital into a collective fund as an act of radical generosity. The money is loaned out at no interest to women and non-binary-led businesses (called ventures) working on the World’s ‘To-o’ List and it’s paid back over a five-year period.
Selected ventures also get access to Activators’ networks, buying power, and expertise to grow their business. Find out more information at the NZ venture portfolio here.
Who will buy your business?
Walks give women access to female leaders
